Tennessee 1834: Melungeons indicted for voting "on account of color" (Hawkins/Hancock County, TN, 1834–1848)

SUMMARYTennessee 1834: Melungeons indicted for voting "on account of color" (Hawkins/Hancock County, TN, 1834–1848) [Connections: Carolinas, Nov 5, 2026]

RECORDThe 1834 Tennessee constitution allowed "Every free white man" to vote, with a proviso "that no person shall be disqualified from voting in any election on account of color, who is now by the laws of this State, a competent witness in a court of Justice against a white man" (text as transcribed by the Melungeon Historical Society). Under it, Vardy Collins was indicted for voting "being disqualified to vote by the laws of this state on account of color" (indictment dated August 1845/1846; the source's dates conflict). Wiatt Collins and Zachariah Minor were found not guilty on January 29, 1848, and charges against Solomon, Levi, Ezekial and Andrew Collins and Lewis Minor were then dropped. The researchers count ten charged, two convicted. The 1870 Hancock census reportedly listed Minor and Goins families as "Portuguee" (as reported by Historical Melungeons blog, citing Jack Goins)

PATTERNThe state put families in court over their color in order to keep them off the voter rolls, and juries acquitted most of them

LENS (WW9)They were put on trial for their color and acquitted

OPENThe court records are quoted by a genealogy blog without archive citations; get the Hawkins County Circuit Court minutes. The 1872 Hamilton County "Melungeon" inheritance case (Lewis Shepherd, attorney) is often told as a Carthaginian/Phoenician defense, but the blog that compiled the file says the final argument "is not in this case"; needs deep research before use

SOURCEMelungeon Historical Society, "Tennessee 1834 Constitution"; Historical Melungeons, "Our Right to Vote"; Historical Melungeons, 1870s court case.